Thank You for Your Patience

      So today, we take a good look at our American preoccupation: the state of our finances. As part of that process, I would like to share with you how our parish financial system works.
       The canons of the church place responsibility almost entirely on the shoulders of the parish pastor (Canon 532), a man who, in your case, has had a terrific education in faith in general, with an excellent Scriptural add-on, but virtually no formal financial training of any note.
      The canons also require a finance council to offer the pastor advice (Canon 537). This has been wonderful for our parish, as we have a terrific council that offers me what I have found to be frank and helpful guidance. On our volunteer council, chosen for their training, intelligence, honesty and generosity, are the following:
       Joe Loll, retired public accountant – head of parish council
       Laura Meissner, engineer, executive director and business owner
       Gene West, (almost) retired lawyer
       Kathy Milner, managing director of enterprise risk management
       Kevin Hrabovsky, senior vice president and financial advisor
       Laurie Milleman, retired senior managing director and chief accounting officer
       Sean Duffy, head of residential whole loan investments
What we have here is any parish’s dream team for a parish finance council. I have found their advice thoughtful, forward thinking, creative and fearlessly honest. They are dedicated to the wellbeing and mission of the parish. As committed parishioners, they get that encountering Jesus and being his disciples is what we have to fund. What a gift they have been for me and for the parish.

       Pam Kingsley oversees the day-to-day operations of the parish, handling the accounts, records, payments, etc. Her kindness is legendary; her carefulness and zeal for the wellbeing of the parish has allowed me great confidence in the accuracy of the monthly reports I receive.
      We have regained a parish business manager, after some covid years of absence, as we welcomed Manuel Leon, recently retired from his work as a regional vice president in the cable industry, to the parish staff. He has oversight of staff, the campus and parish finances.
       Pam and Manuel both work to see to it that the best practices of the financial world are followed at the parish to guarantee that the funds received are handled with care, under many eyes, banked with precision and spent carefully according to the budget and parish needs.
     I meet with the council roughly ten times a year to review the income and expenditures from the prior month or two. We examine trends, plan for future expenses, consider methods for raising funds and strategize how to communicate with the parish effectively. We also review and approve both the year’s budget and the prior year’s final financial report to the archdiocese. As a rule, when decisions need to be made, the council arrives at a common consensus. My experience is that they have offered me solidly good advice, and as a rule, I follow their counsel.
       All of this is to say that there are many eyes overseeing the offerings you make to the parish, ensuring that the parish spends funds wisely, according to the intent of the giver, and in the fulfillment of the mission of encountering Jesus and becoming his disciples. You may have questions. I’ll do my best to answer them, or direct them to those who might be better equipped to reply to you. 

In everything, know my gratitude for your financial participation in building up the Kingdom here in our parish.


¡Siempre adelante!


Fr. Patrick Pastor 

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